Alvaro Morata scores twice as Juventus crush Chievo Verona

Juventus strolled to victory over Chievo in Verona to put pressure on title rivals Napoli to respond with a 12th consecutive win.

Alvaro Morata's first-half double put Juventus in control and Alex Sandro and Paul Pogba added to the lead after the break.

The margin could have been even greater but an emphatic result left Napoli to kick off against Empoli trailing the reigning four-time champions by a point.

Juve took less than six minutes to open the scoring as Stephan Lichtsteiner delivered a perfect low cross and Morata got goal-side of full-back Nicolas Frey to finish from six yards.

Pogba was just off target with a ferocious long-range drive and Lichtsteiner's cross eluded a sliding Paulo Dybala.

Alvaro Morata celebrates with Paulo Dybala.

Dybala fired straight at keeper Albano Bizzarri, Sami Khedira unable to capitalise on the rebound, before Nicola Rigoni forced Gianluigi Buffon into his only save of the first half.

Juventus finally doubled their lead five minutes before the break, Dybala and Khedira linking up and the latter squaring across goal to serve up a mirror image of Morata's first finish.

The two-goal half-time margin arguably undersold the visitors' dominance and a third came on the hour when Lichtsteiner and Pogba combined to set up the chance and Alex Sandro stroked home left-footed.

Lichtsteiner failed to complete a one-two to Pogba in the box but the France star was not to be denied and slotted the fourth goal past Bizzarri after jinking past Dario Dainelli on the edge of the box.

Alex Sandro sidefooted against the crossbar after a patient passing move from a Juve side now toying with their opponents, although Leonardo Bonucci's stumble almost gifted Chievo a breakaway goal. Buffon denied Roberto Inglese and Paul-Jose M'Poku wasted the follow-up chance.

Morata curled just wide and had another effort tipped over by Bizzarri as he sought a hat-trick, while Bonucci was just off target with a deft flick.

Pogba lashed an injury-time effort against the inside of the right-hand post and Dybala was again wasteful after Morata recycled the ball.